Can unitizing packages



J. G. HUGHES CAN UNITIZING PACKAGES Dec. 19, 1967 Filed Dec. 2'6 1963 vF/a'j United States Patent 3,358,827 'CAN UNITIZING PACKAGES John G.Hughes, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company,tion of Minnesota Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,351 7 Claims. (Cl.206-65) This invention relates to an improvement in can unitizingpackages and deals particularly with a simple folder which may be usedto connect a series of similar cans so that they may be sold as apackage.

In recent years, the use of pressurized cans to contain a wide varietyof products has become very popular. While these cans vary to someextent, many comprise tubular can bodies having a disc-like bottomclosure which is often domed inwardly to resist pressure, and a domedupper closure which terminates in acylindrical portion from which thedispensing valve and nozzle projects. A cup-shaped cap is frictionallyengaged upon the cylindrical portion to overlie and protect thedispensing valve and nozzle.

In view of the fact that these containers are vertically elongated, theydo not lend themselves particularly well to a unitizing sleeve of thetype often used for unitizing cans of other proportions. It is thepurpose of the present invention to provide a simple folder which mayserve as a connector for a series of cans and which will provide a pairof opposed advertising panels capable of describing the product and theuses thereof.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of aunitizer of the type described which in preferred form comprises aU-shaped folded provided with means for anchoring opposite sides of theU-shaped enclosure to the tops of the cans. As a result, the unitizermay be easily attached to the cans, and lends itself very readily toautomatic packaging where such is desired.

These and other objects and novel features of the pres ent inventionwill be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a can package in completed form.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view through the carrier, the positionof the section being indicated by the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the erected unitizer with thecansre'moved therefrom.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the unitizer isformed.

The unitizer is indicated in general by the letter A, and isparticularly useful in containing a series of cans such as B. In theparticular arrangement illustrated, the cans B include a cylindricalwall provided with a lower closure 11 which is preferably inwardly domedas shown in FIGURE 2, and which is provided with a channelshaped beadededge 12 which engages the lower edge of the cylindrical wall 10 and issecured thereto. The upper end of the sleeve 10 is closed by an upperclosure 13 having an upwardly domed central portion 14 which is providedat its periphery with an upwardly extending flange 15 terminating in abeaded channel-shaped rim 16 which encloses the upper end of the sleeve10. This arrangement provides a circular groove 17 encircling thedome-shaped portion 14.

The dome portion 14 is shown as terminating in a short cylindricalportion 19 having a flat upper surface 20 through which the nozzle andvalve operating mechanism 21 extends. As this construction is Well knownin the art, it is not shown in detail. When not in use, the dispensingvalve is enclosed Within a generally cylindrical cap 22 having a flatupper end 23 and a roller or flanged lower St. Paul, Minn., a corporaend24 which frictionally encircles the cylindrical portion 19 of the cantop.

The unitizer A is constructed as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of thedrawings. The blank illustrated includes a bottom panel 25 which ishingedly connected along parallel fold lines 26 and 27 to side wallpanels 29 and 30 respectively. The fold lines 26 and 27 are spaced aparta distance slightly less than the diameter of the lower beads 12 of thecans, and opposed generally U- shaped cut lines 31 and 32 extend intothe side walls 29 and 30 and provide apertures through which the beads12 may extend when the unitizer is in use. A pair of fold lines 33 and34 extend across the panels 29 and 30 near the upper edges thereof, tohingedly connect the side walls 29 and 30 to a pair of flanges 35 and36. The spacing between the fold lines 26 and 33 and between the foldlines 27 and 34 is approximately equal the height of the cans B.Generally U-shaped cut lines 37 and 39 are provided in the side Walls 29and 30 with the ends of these lines terminating substantially on thefold lines 33 and 34. These cut lines 37 and 39 are spaced substantiallyequal to the diameter of the cans, and the U-shaped cut lines defineprojecting tabs 40 and 41 designed to extend into the grooves 17 betweenthe chimes 16 and the domed portion 14 of the top closure of the cans.When in place, the tabs hold the side walls 29 and 30 in substantiallyparallel relation and hold the various cans against the bottom 25, thusholding the cans unitized.

The unitizer thus formed serves effectively to contain the cans inposition. However, if an additional lock is desired, this can beaccomplished by cutting strips of paperboard from the side wall andlocking the strips together usually between a pair of adjacent cans asillustrated. A pair of similar straps 42 are provided in the side walldefined by parallel cut lines 43 connected by a transverse cut line 44.The ends of the cut lines 43 terminate in equally spaced relation fromthe upper edge 45 of the flange 35, and fold lines 46 connect these endsof the cut lines 43. Fold lines 47 extend across the straps 42 at pointsspaced from the fold lines 46 a distance substantially equal to thedistance between the fold lines 46 and 45 so that the anchored portionsof the straps 42 may be folded outwardly of the upper portion of theside wall 29 and flange 35, and may be folded down into generallyparallel relation to the bottom panel 25. Locking tongues 49 arefoldably connected to the strips 42 along fold lines 50.

Somewhat slmiiar straps 51 are provided in the side wall 30 and aredefined by spaced parallel cut lines 52 connected by a terminal out line53. The straps 51 are hinged to the panel 30 along fold lines 54 whichare in parallel spaced relation to the fold lines 34. Fold lines 55extend across the straps 51 at points spaced from the fold lines 54 adistance substantially equal to the space between the fold lines 54 andthe upper edge 56 of the flange 36. Thus, the lower portions of thestrips 51 may be pivoted through to lie outwardly of the upper portionof the side wall 30 and flange 36 and may be folded down into generallyparallel relation to the bottom panel 25. The end portions of the strips51 are provided with locking slots or apertures 57 designed toaccommodate the locking tongues 49 of the straps 42. As a result, theends of the two straps 42 and 51 may be anchored in face contact byengagement of the locking tongues 49 into the slots or apertures 57.This arrangement not only holds the side walls 29 and 30 from swingingoutwardly but also holds the flanges 35 and 36 in alignment with theside walls to hold the locking tabs 39 engaged in the grooves 17 of thecan.

The manner in which the structure is assembled is believed obvious fromthe foregoing description. The cans are placed on the bottom panel 25and the side walls 29 and 30 are folded upwardly, the lower chimed ends12 of the cans extending through the apertures formed by the cut lines31. As the side walls near parallel relation, the flanges 3 5 and 36 arehinged outwardly so that the locking tongues 39 will extend inwardlyfrom the side walls. Accordingly, the locking tongues may be swung overthe chimed upper ends 16 of the can B and into the grooves 17 betweenthe chimed ends and the dome shaped portion 14 of the top can closure.While the structure thus described holds the cans quite effectively, thecans may be positively prevented from swinging outwardly by engagementof the locks of the locking strips 42 and 51.

In accordance with the patent statutes, 1 have described the principlesof construction and operation of my can unitizer; and while I haveendeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of thefollowing claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar canshaving at least one chimed end, the carton including a folder includinga bottom panel and a pair of upright side wall panels hinged to oppositesides of said bottom panel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the candiameter,

said side walls being of a height extending substantially above the sidewalls of the cans,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

a pair of tabs holding the side walls in substantially parallelrelationship, said tabs being defined by generally U-shaped cut lines insaid side walls adjoining said fold lines and connected to said flangesto be substantially coplanar therewith, and

said tabs being coextensive with the side walls spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the diameter of the cans and being downwardlydependable to engage into the chimes at said chimed end when the otherends of the cans rest upon said bottom panel.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which the other ends of the cans arealso chimed and in which said side walls include apertures adjoining thelines of binge connecting said bottom panel to said side walls throughwhich portions of the chimes of said other can ends may extend.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including means for holding said flangesgenerally coplanar with the side walls to which they are connected.

4. The structure of claim 1 and including engageable and disengageablemeans for connecting the upper edges of said flanges.

5. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar canshaving a domed end extending above the sides of the can and at least onechimed end, the carton including a folder including a bottom panel and apair of upright side wall panels hinged to opposite sides of said bottompanel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the candiameter,

said side walls being of substantially equal height to the height of thecans at the dome extremity,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

a pair of tabs holding the side walls in substantially parallelrelationship, said tabs being defined by generally U-shaped cut lines insaid side walls terminating adjacent said fold lines to provide downwardextensions of said flanges,

said tabs being coextensive with the side walls spaced similarly to thespacing between cans of a row resting upon said bottom panel andextending into the chimed ends to hold the same against said bottompanel.

6. The structure of claim 5 and including detachable means for holdingsaidflanges in generally parallel rela tion.

7. A can containing carton in combination with a series of similar canshaving at least one chimed end, the carton including a folder includinga bottom panel and a pair of side wall panels hinged to opposite sidesof said bottom panel,

said bottom panel being substantially of a width equal to the candiameter,

said side walls being of substantially equal height to the side walls ofthe cans,

flanges connected to the upper edges of the side walls along fold lines,

tabs defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in said side wallsterminating adjacent said fold lines to provide downward extensions ofsaid flanges,

said tabs being spaced similarly to the spacing between cans of a rowresting upon said bottom panel and extending into engagement with thechimed ends of said cans to hold the same against said bottom panel,

a pair of straps defined by generally U-shaped cut lines in oppositeportions of said side walls,

said straps being hinged to said side walls at their upper ends andfoldable upwardly outwardly of said flanges, and including interlockingend portions of said straps foldable generally parallel to said bottompanel and interchanged to hold said flanges from separation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,297 10/1944 Brogden 2062,663,413 12/1953 Foster 206-65 2,681,143 6/1954 Guyer 20665 2,805,0339/1957 Rous 20665 X 2,851,210 9/1958 Kramer et a1. 20665 3,151,80210/1964 Spery 206-65 X FOREIGN PATENTS 556,864 8/1957 Belgium.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner.

1. A CAN CONTAINING CARTON IN COMBINATION WITH A SERIES OF SIMILAR CANSHAVING AT LEAST ONE CHIMED END, THE CARTON INCLUDING A FOLDER INCLUDINGA BOTTOM PANEL AND A PAIR OF UPRIGHT SIDE WALL PANELS HINGED TO OPPOSITESIDES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID BOTTOM PANEL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY OF AWIDTH EQUAL TO THE CAM DIAMETER, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING OF A HEIGHTEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE SIDE WALLS OF THE CANS, FLANGESCONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF THE SIDE WALLS ALONG FOLD LINES, A PAIROF TABS HOLDING THE SIDE WALLS IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP,SAID TABS BEING DEFINED BY GENERALLY U-SHAPED CUT LINES IN SAID SIDEWALLS ADJOINING SAID FOLD LINES AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLANGES TO BESUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR THEREWITH, AND